Voting-booth and registering device



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

v 0 A EVANS VOTING BOOTH AND REGISTERING DEVICE.

Patented Aug. 3,1897.

ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. A. EVANS. VOTING BOOTH AND REGISTERING DEVIGE.

No. 587,547 Patented Aug-3,1897.

I 2. B G q M l I n l// l/l/l/l/ l/Y/ Y/// WITNESSES:

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G.A.EVANSQ VOTING BOOTH AND REGISTERING DEVICE. No. 587,547. Patented Aug. 3,1897.

lNVEN WITNES8ES= ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. EVANS, OF UPLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

VOTING-BOOTH AND REGISTERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,547, dated August 3, 1897. Application filed April 15, 1896. Serial No. 587,609- (No model.)

Registering Devices, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a device for voting and vote-registering embodying a booth, a

' stand provided with registering mechanism,

and a platform which is moved by the weight of the voter superimposed thereon and so opcrates the register, which indicates the number of the votes cast.

It also consists in adapting said platform to release certain mechanism whereby the registers of the votes for the candidates may be operated, after which the registers are rendered inoperative, both when the platform is occupied and unoccupied.

It also consists in adapting the registers of the votes of the candidates to be operated as a unit, when so desired.

It also consists of details of construction, as will be hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a voting and vote registering device embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 represent vertical sections as portions thereof. Fig. 4 represents a face view of one of the registers employed. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of a plate for causing the operation of a series of registers, as willbe hereinafter referred to. Fig. 6 represents an end View of one register and adjacent portions of the device. Figs. 7 and 8 represent vertical sections of portions of the register-operating devices. Fig. 9 represents a view of parts shown in Figs. 7 and 8 in different positions. Fig. 10 represents a face view of part of one of the registers. Fig. 11 represents a perspective view of the register employed for registering the number of persons voting. Fig.

12 represents a perspective view of a-portion of coveringplate of the register shown in Fig. 11.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a booth, within which is the stand B, on whose upper face are series of tablets C, on which will be marked in any suitable manner the names of candidates to be voted for. In the upper part of said stand are series of registers D, whose numbers on the wheels or disks thereof appear through the openings E in the plate F, the latter being beneath the tablets C, so that said openings E, and consequently the numbers on the registers beneath the same, are primarily concealed. On the wall of the stand is the staple G, the same having a padlock thereon for purposes to be hereinafter stated.

At the base of the stand 13 in front or other side thereof is the tilting platform or treadle II, which is supported at its outer end on the shoulder or fulcrum J in the bottom frame or floor of the booth and which hasits inner end jointed at K to the levers L, which are in the under side of the stand 13, said levers being mounted on the ears M and adapted to have the portions of the same rearward of their axis raised when the platform is lowered by the voter, and consequently lowered or returned to their normal position when said platform is relieved of weight, the returning motion being accomplished by the springs N, which are suitably connected with said levers, the latter being also provided with weights P for adjusting the balance of said levers and platform.

IVithin the stand are mounted the rockshafts Q, to which are attached the links R, which, by means of the rods S, are connected with the levers L, so that said levers impart motions to said shafts in opposite directions. Attached to each rock shaft is a doublelimbed dog T '1", whose limbs are elastic, one of whose noses points upwardly and the other having the shoulder a on its nose.

U designates push-rods which are guided vertically in the upper part of the stand 13 and provided with heads or buttons which ap pear over or above the tablets C, it being noticed that there is a push'rod for each tablet.

In the sides of the lower portions of the push-rods are recesses V V, the recesses V being adapted to be engaged by the shouldered nose of the limb T of the dog and the recesses V to be engaged by the end of the nose of the limb T thereof.

WV designates springs which are seen red to the frame within the stand B and connected with the push-rods U, the free ends of said springs being engaged by the swinging rack or plate X, whose journals X are mounted on said frame, said plate having connected with it the supplemental push-rods Y, which are guided in the stands B and provided with heads or buttons which are located adjacent to either of the heads orbuttons of the series of push-rods U, it being noticed that when said push-rods Y are depressed the plate is lowered and with it the several springs \V, whereby all of the push-rods U are lowered, for purposes to be hereinafter explained.

The registers D have their operating pawls or dogs Z connected with swinging arms Z on the axes of the cylinders orbarrels of the registers, as in Figs. 7 and 8, said arms being connected by the pins A with the slotted lugs 13' on the sides of the push-rods U, so that as said rods descend motion will be communicated with the radial arms Z, and consequently to the pawls Z, which engage with the ratchet of the barrels and communicate motions thereto.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I show perspective views of the register employed for registering the number of persons voting in said register. The numbers are on the upper side of disks, while the pawl-carrying arms which operate the ratchets are engaged by the sides of the lug B, but to the form of registers I do not limit myself.

The numbers of the registers are visible through openings in the plate 0, similar to those in the plate F. Mounted within the stand is the register D, whose numbers appear in an opening E in one of the walls of the stand and is operated by means of the rod F, whose lower end is connected with one of the levers L, so that every time that the platform II is depressed the register D will be operated for registering the number of voters.

Connected with one of the levers Lis a rod G, whose upper end is connected with the' gate or valve II, the latter being beneath the chute J in the top of the stand B, said valve II being lowered when in normal position, thus uncovering the under side of the chute .T, but being raised when the platform is depressed, so as to close said chute, thus serving to detain the ballot which may be used in special cases, as where one desires to vote for a candidate whose name may not be mentioned on a regular ticket.

When the voter leaves the platform, the valve H drops and directs the ballot in the drawer K, located beneath the same, which may afterward be opened by the proper election officer.

The operation is as follows: lVhen a voter enters the booth, he must necessarily pass to the limbs T bearing against the push-rod U. The voter then depresses the push-rod opposite the name of the candidate for whom he wishes to vote, whereby the register D is operated. Meanwhile the noses of the limbs T have reached the recesses V, and they drop thereinto, thus locking the p ush-rod, whereby ascent and motion of the same and operations of the register are prevented. (See Fig. 8.) The voter proceeds with the push-rods for all the candidates for whom he wishes to vote, it being here noticed that the number of his vote has been recorded by the register D. Now as the push-rods U are controlled by the limbs T not more than one vote can be registered, and so the voter leaves the platform II, when the latter rises, and the levers L are lowered. This operates the rock-shafts Q in such manner that the limbs T are withdrawn from the recesses V, thus unloekin g the pushrods, and as the latter are now controlled by the springs IV they return to their normal position, when the limbs T enter the recesses V and again lock the push-rods, so that they are prevented from descending until the pushrod is again depressed by the person super imposed thereon.

\V hen a person occupies the platform and desires to vote the entire ticket of the set of candidates, he pushes the proper rod Y, when the plate X is lowered, thus depressing the springs XV, which, being connected with the push-rods U, operate the latter and cause all the registers D to indicate the vote of the entire set of a ticket.

The booth is provided with a curtain L for adding privacy to the action of the voter.

hen the device is not required for service, the platform It is raised and locked, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, or by other suitable means. I

In order to lim itthe descent of the platform, the stop 11 is placed beneath the same for the abutment of the platform when depressed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a voting-booth and registering device, a frame with a shoulder thereon, a tilting platform supported on said shoulder,weighted levers jointed to said platform, springs for raising the weighted ends of said levers, a stand with a rock-shaft mounted therein, links and rods connecting said levers and rock-shafts, a plate with openings therein on said stand, registering-disks at said openings, and push-rods connected with said rock-shaft, and actuating said disks.

2. In a voting-booth and vote-registering device, a lever, a rock-shaft having mechanism connecting it with said lever, a registering device with an operating push-rod, and adouble pawl connected with said rock-shaft forming stops for said push rod at the ends of its opposite movements.

8. In a voting-booth and vote-registering device, a tilting platform having a support at series of registering devices with operating push-rods, a double pawl carried by said rockshaft for locking said push-rods, springs adapted to engage said push-rods, a swinging plate engaging said springs, and a push-rod for operating said plate.

5. A registering device, barrels having swinging arms on the axis thereof, a push-rod with slotted lugs on the side thereof, pins connecting said arms and lugs, a ratchet-Wheel on the side of said barrel,operating-pawls connected with said swinging arms, and an oscillating spring-pawl engaging the lower end of said push-rod,

6. In a voting-booth and vote-registering device, a tilting platform, a lever pivotally connected with said platform, a rock-shaft having the double pawl with limbs T, T as described, a registering device and a push-rod for said registering device having notches on opposite sides, the walls of which are engaged by said limbs.

7. A voting-booth and registering device, having a frame with a stand thereon, a platform having one end supported on a shoulder on said frame, a series of tablets on the upper face of said stand, a plate on a stand beneath said tablets having openings therein,

registering-disks below said openings, levers jointed to one end of said platform, rockshafts mounted in said stand, links and rods connecting said shafts and levers, elastic double-limbed dogs attached to said rock-shafts, push-rods with recesses on opposite sides alternately engaged by noses on said limbs, and pawls connected with said push-rods for operating said registering-disks.

S. In a device substantially as described, a rock-shaft with spring-pressed limbs for unlocking and locking the p ash-rods of the device, by means operated by a tilting 0r moving platformin a voting-booth.

9. The tilting platform H and the lever L pivotally connected therewith, in combination with the adjustingweight P on said lever, and the retaining-spring N connected in with the latter, substantially as described.

10. A voting-booth and registering device having a platform, a stand, a shaft journaled therein, mechanism for rocking said shaft, a plate with openings on said stand, registering-disks at said openings, push-rods connected with said rock-shaft, and operating said disks, springs secured to said stand, a swinging plate engaging said spring and a supplemental push-rod engaging and operating said swinging plate.

11. A v0ting-booth and registering device having a platform, a stand, a rocking shaft journaled therein mechanism for operating said shaft when said platform is occupied, registering-disks, a double spring-pawl secured to said shaft, a push-rod engaged by said pawl and a dog connected with said pushrod for operating said disks.

CLARENCE A; EVANS.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, R. H. GRAEsER. 

